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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014
Vol. CXXIII, No. 210
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
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3 school buildings now Tacoma landmarks
Article By Todd Matthews, Editor Images Courtesy Historic Tacoma Tacoma City Council approved a resolution Tuesday placing Three local public school buildings on the City of Tacoma's Register of Historic Places. McKinley Hill Elementary School, located at 3720 McKinley Ave., was built in 1908 and designed by architect Frederick Heath, who also designed the Pythian Temple, Stadium High School, and the Ansonia Building. Last year, Historic Tacoma, a non-profit organization that advocates for the protection and preservation of the city's historic buildings and architectural heritage, placed the McKinley Hill Elementary School building on its Watch List of endangered properties. Oakland Elementary School, located at 3319 S. Adams St., was built in 1912 and designed by Heath and his business partner George Gove. Finally, Hoyt Elementary School, located at 2708 N. Union St., was built in 1957 and designed by Tacoma architect Robert Billsbrough Price, who also designed Tacoma Fire Station No. 17, the Tacoma Bicentennial Pavilion, and Sky Terrace Apartments. The joint nomination for the three school buildings was prepared by preservation advocate Marshall McClintock on behalf of Historic Tacoma. "The school district has stated that its position is officially neutral regarding the nominations," said City of Tacoma Historic Preservation Officer Reuben McKnight on Tuesday. "Significant public comment was received on the nominations, particularly in support of Hoyt. There have been to date two comments opposing the nomination of the 14 written comments received by staff, and numerous oral comments." The City of Tacoma's Historic Preservation Office has received letters of support from Documentation and Conservation of the Modern Movement, Western Washington, or "Docomomo WEWA," a Seattle-based non-profit organization focusing on the preservation of mid-century modern architecture in the Pacific Northwest; Tacoma architect and former City of Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commissioner Jeffrey J. Ryan; North Slope Historic District Co-Chair and former City of Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission member Kathryn Longwell; and Tacoma City Councilmember Ryan Mello. Six years ago, Historic Tacoma partnered with Tacoma Public Schools on a project to identify and document the many historic schools built between 1908 and 1958. Four years ago, six public school buildings in Tacoma were added to the city's historic register: Fern Hill Elementary School (8442 S. Park Ave.), built in 1911; Central Elementary Administration Building (601 S. 8th St.), built in 1912; Jason Lee Middle School
THEN AND NOW: Hoyt Elementary School (TOP), McKinley Hill Elementary School (MIDDLE), and Oakland Elementary School (BOTTOM) have been added to the City of Tacoma's Register of Historic Places. (602 N. Sprague Ave.), built in 1924; Stewart Middle School (5010 Pacific Ave.), built in 1925; McCarver Elementary School (2111 S. J St.), built in 1925; and Whitman Elementary School (1120 S. 39th St.), built in 1952. Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission conducted a preliminary review of the most recent nomination for the three school buildings during a public meeting in July. In August, the commission approved the nomination to add McKinley Hill Elementary School, Oakland Elementary School, and Hoyt Elementary School to the City of Tacoma's Register of
Historic Places. Tacoma City Council's Neighborhoods and Housing Committee reviewed the nomination earlier this month. On Tuesday, McKnight and historic preservation advocate Sharon Winters discussed the nominations before councilmembers approved the resolution. Here are their comments, edited and condensed for publication: SHARON WINTERS (HISTORIC PRESERVATION ADVOCATE) The district is the owner of one of the largest collections of significant historic buildings in the city. While school districts around the country continue to tear down their buildings, [the] Tacoma school district has set a model, acknowledging not CONTINUED only the architectural signifiON PAGE 2 cance of these structures, but